Take the story of Mike Davidson and Mike Smith: They wanted to change the world of dental hygiene with a new kind of toothbrush.

Three years ago,adidas Shane Doan jersey, their brushes were rolling off the assembly line, and it changed the way they saw the business of invention forever.,adidas Mike Smith jersey, ready for consumers. But then the pair ran into a business buzz saw

The story goes like this. Davidson is a dental hygienist. About a decade ago, and he partnered with dentist Mike Smith to bring it to the market., he invented the MD Brush

What makes the brush special is when you grip the handle, 'Authentic Bobby Orr jersey,it automatically positions the bristles at a 45-degree angle to the gum line. There is scientific evidence that this is the best angle for effective brushing.

"it feels a certain way,When you brush your teeth properly," says Davidson. "That's what this brush is designed to do. It's designed to show you what good brushing feels like."

it had taken seven years to go from the idea for a new toothbrush to an actual product: seven years of designs, a production run of 100, marketing stumbles and website crashes. When our story aired in August 2014, re-redesigns, redesigns,We told the story of MD Brush in 2014. At that point, manufacturing obstacles,000 MD Brushes was underway at a factory in Vietnam.

they ran into the dental industrial complex. 'adidas Ryan Getzlaf jersey,"One of the big toothbrush companies filed suit against them,But not long after the first shipment arrived in the U.S., accusing them of patent infringement.

but I mean it was definitely a gut check for both of us,"I don't know if we were overwhelmed by itadidas Cam Fowler jersey, says Smith.

" says Davidson. "We were confident that we would have won,"We could have fought them,adidas Ryan Kesler jersey, but to get it in front of a judge to make a ruling on it would have cost us upwards of half a million dollars."

Davidson says it hurt and completed his transition from idealistic inventor to hardened businessman.

because they're going to come after you. And that's what happened with us.","I'll put it to you this way,adidas Bobby Orr jersey, if you've got an innovative product that's going to impinge upon a larger company's market share," he says. "Anytime, get ready

the maker of GUM brand oral products and the company that initiated the legal proceedings,Sunstar Americas Inc., declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Davidson says he and Smith have now regrouped. ,Authentic Cam Fowler jersey,They redesigned the brush — again — to avoid the patent problem.

When I spoke with Davidson and Smith in 2014, I asked them whether they would take the money if a big toothbrush manufacturer offered to buy them out.

both said no.Authentic Ryan Kesler jersey, "It's not about money,At the time," said Davidson. "It's about winning. And it's about beating these guys at their own game and showing we can do something better."

" he said.,"Yes, then yesAuthentic Corey Perry jersey," said Smith without hesitation. "If it was an eye-popping amount of money, most definitely." Davidson qualified that answer. "It would have to be a pretty substantial amount